Primary Health Need

What is a Primary Health Need?

In order to qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding (CHC), an individual needs to establish that they have a ‘Primary Health Need’ (also called a primary healthcare need or primary need for healthcare)

The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care defines a primary healthcare need as follows:

An individual has a primary health need if, having taken account of all their needs (following completion of the Decision Support Tool), it can be said that the main aspects or majority part of the care they require is focused on addressing and/or preventing health needs. Having a primary health need is not about the reason why an individual requires care or support, nor is it based on their diagnosis; it is about the level and type of their overall actual day-to-day care needs taken in their totality.

The Primary Health Need Test

In order to establish whether an individual has a Primary Health Need, you need to look at the totality of all their relevant needs and how they interact. Once the 12 domains of care have been completed on the Decision Support Tool, the Primary Health Need ‘test’ is then applied. These are the four “Key Characteristics” of nature, intensity, complexity and unpredictability. The Characteristics help determine whether the majority of care interventions are aimed at meeting health or social care needs.

Broadly speaking, social care is assistance to do the things we all do every day – getting up, having a wash, getting dressed, going to the toilet, eating and drinking, moving around, keeping our environment clean and tidy, maintaining social relationships. This is what the NHS and Social Services describe as the “activities of daily living” or “ADL”. For the purposes of CHC assessments, even if a person is totally dependent on others to meet all their ADL, that would still be deemed as social care, unless the interventions required are complex (skilled), intense (labour/time-consuming) or unpredictable (rapidly fluctuating).

Often, the dividing line is very narrow and subjective but the outcome will determine who pays the cost of care – the individual or the NHS!

"I found this firm to be thorough, professional, knowledgeable, and available when needed. The outcome was exactly what we had been hoping for. I have no doubt that this firm played a significant role in achieving that."

CHC client

What a life saver Farley Dwek were to myself and my Family. From the first point of contact to the final consultation, the whole process was clear and easy to understand. I 100000% recommend this people focus company that have fantastic work ethics and are so very knowledgeable. I’m so grateful for all the support.

CHC client

"Through out my dealings with Farley Dwek I found them to be efficient and very helpful. But above all their honesty impressed me the most. Never have come across an organisation that would put ethics before profit. For this alone I would highly recommend them."

Tim

"My sister and I have received absolutely first class professional support, guidance and advice throughout an extended period of time, seeking CHC on behalf of our mother. Every member of the team, with whom we had various communications with, were professional, courteous, and clear. The process is a challenging one and without their guidance, support and expert knowledge we would not have achieved the successful outcome that we did. We cannot recommend them enough."

CHC client

"If a relative of yours is going into a care home or nursing home, I’d 100% recommend you to call Farley Dwek to see if you are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding."

Peter Shaw

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